KOTA BHARU, Sept 9 — Kelantan has lost a Kota Bharu-born, the late Dr Ainul Baraah Kamarudin, who passed away while carrying out her mission through the Flying Doctor Service (FDS) for the rural communities of Sarawak.

Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Mohd Nassuruddin Daud said the official confirmation of the deceased’s passing was heartbreaking when she was serving to bring treatment and hope to those in need.

“The deceased had devoted her knowledge and services far in the rural areas for the sake of humanity. Her passing was a big loss to Kelantan.

“My condolences to the entire family of the victim involved. May Allah SWT have mercy on the deceased, accept all her services as good deeds and place her among the righteous. Al-Fatihah,” he said in a post on his official Facebook page, last night.

Yesterday, the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) in a statement announced that a BO-105 helicopter carrying five individuals including the pilot crashed near the Long Lellang Short Runway Airport (STOLport), Ulu Baram, about 929 kilometres from Kuching, Sarawak.

According to CAAM, the helicopter was conducting an FDS operation at the time of the incident.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad was reported to have said that the helicopter that departed from Miri was operated by a pilot and carried a medical officer, an assistant medical officer (PPP) and two nurses who were carrying out official duties.

Meanwhile, Miri Division Resident who is also the chairman of the Miri Division Disaster Management Committee, Galong Luang when contacted confirmed that all five individuals in the helicopter died in the incident at about 3.40 pm.

Apart from Dr Ainul Baraah, the media reported that the four other victims were identified as Captain Zainol Afriq, assistant medical officer Alexson Adit and two nurses, Debra Moset and Jessie Paya. — Bernama